Fluid-measuring apparatus



(No Model.)

W H. FORBES & J. GIBSON. FLUID MEASURING APPARATUS.

No. 403,933. Patented May 28, 1889.

WITNESSES,

. INVEWTOR .dttorneys'.

u. PETERS. mnliihognplwrfwahingim. o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

VILLIAM HUGH FORBES AND JAMES GIBSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLUID-MEASURING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,933, dated May 28,1889.

Application filed January 28, 1889. Serial No. 297,859. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM HUGH FORBES and JAMES GIBSON, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Boston, in the 5 county of Suffolk andState of Massachusetts,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MeasuringApparatus; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention,

I such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

Our invention relates to a measuring apparatus; and it has for itsobject to enable a merchant to expeditiously and easily draw from a caskor other source of supply different standard quantities of liquidwithout the necessity of handling separate measuringvessels of differentcapacities.

\Vith this end in view our invention consists of a series of stationarymeasuring-vessels of different sizes for holding varying quantities ofliquid, a conduit common to all of and connected with the series ofmeasuring-vessels and adapted to be connected by a single connectionwith a cask, barrel, or other source of supply, and valves forcontrolling the admission of liquid to and its discharge from eachmeasuring vessel or recep- 0 tacle; and our invention further consistsof the peculiar construction and arrangement of devices, as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand our invention, we will now proceed todescribe the same in connection with the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a plan view of our improved measuring apparatus especiallyadapted for retailing liquids. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsectional view thereof on the line a: a" of Fig. 1. Fig. is a verticaltransverse sectional View through one of the measuringvessels on theline y y of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view ofthe airvalve and indicator.

Like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figuresof the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 2 3 4. designate a series of verticalstationary measuring vessels or receptacles, and 5 is a conduit 'ofthese valves preferably consists of a flat metallicplatc, which istitted to slide in fixed ways or cleats 11.

In order to expeditiously adjust the valves or supply pipe common to allof said vessels or receptacles. These receptacles are made of ditferentsizes, so as to contain varying quantities. Thus, the vessel 1 isdesigned to hold and measure a gallon of liquid, the vessel 2 ahalfgallon, and vessels 3 4 a quart and pint, respectively; but the sizeor capacity of the vessels and the order of arrangement thereof, asshown in the accompanying drawings, are immaterial and can be varied atpleasure without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantagesof our invention.

The conduit or supply pipe is arrangedlongitudinally above the entireseries of vessels, 1 to 4:, inclusive, and communicates with all of saidseries of Vessels, an inlet port or opening, (3, being formed in themiddle of the upper head of each vessel or receptacle. \Ve prefer toterminate the ends of the conduit or supply pipe immediately above andconnect the same directly to the end vessels, 2 and 4, of the series ofvessels and to provide openings or nozzles at intermediate points in thelength of the conduit for establishing communication between the latterand the intermediate vessels 1, and 3, of the series; but this manner ofconnecting the conduit and series of vessels can be modified andchanged.

The vessels and conduit are suitably connected together, and the vesselsare suspended from the conduit, so as to leave the lower ends thereoffree to enable suitable receivers to be placed below themeasuring-vessels to receive the contents thereof directly from saidvessels. The lower ends of the 1neasuring-ves sels are flared, as at 7,and provided with central vertical outlet-ports, 8, whereby all of theliquid in the vessel can be expeditiously removed.

Each vessel of the series of measuring-ves sels has ,two valves, 5) 10,one valve, 9, being arranged at the upper end of the vessel over theinlet-port 6 thereof, and the other valve, 10, being arranged at thelower end of the vessel over the outlet-port 8 thereof. Each and keepthe same in their proper relative position to cut off the supply ofliquid from the conduit to the vessel when the latter is opened todischarge its contents, and thus prevent more than the proper quantityfrom escaping, we have provided an intermediate connection between theupper and lower valves of each measuring-vessel, which is so.

arranged and connected to said valves as to move the same simultaneouslyin opposite directions. This intermediate connection comprises avertical lever, 12, and suitable rods, 13 14, between the valves and theends of the lever. Each lever is bent at an intermediate point of itslength, (see Fig. 3,) and fulcrumed at the angle, formed by bendin g thesame, to a short post, 15, which is rigidly secured to the side of thevessel an d extends outwardly therefrom a suitable distance. The rods 1314 are pivotally connected, to the lower ends of the operating-lever andsuitably secured to the valves, a handle, 16, being provided at thelower end of the lever for conveniently manipulating the latter and thevalves con nectcd thereto. The upper connecting rod, 13, has a packing,17, secured thereon, which works in a stuffing-box, 18, on the upperside of the measurin g-vessel, to effectually prevent leakage of thecontents of the vessel through the opening formed in the side of thelatter for the passage of said rod, and the rod 13 is further providedat intermediate points of its length with rigid stop shoulders or lugs19, which are adapted to come in contact with the vessel, and thus limitthe reciprocating play or movement of the valves and lever and preventsaid valves from being moved past the proper points.

The conduit or supply-pipe 5 has a single nozzle or coupling, 20, forconnecting the same to a barrel, cask, or other source of supply fromwhich the liquid can be drawn. This coupling 20 is arranged at themiddle of the couduit, and has a stop cook or valve, 21, by which thesupply from the cask, &c., to the conduit can be cut off or establishedat pleasnre.

Each measuring-vessel is provided with an air port or aperture, 23, inits upper head, and through this port passes a vertically-movablespindle, 24, which carries a disk, 25, at its lower end, and has ashoulder or flange, 26, at its upper end. This disk, which is preferablymade of rubber, is of greater diameter than the air-port through whichthe spindle passes, and when the liquid in the vessel reaches the diskthe latter and the spindle are elevated to indicate that the vessel hasreceived the ne zessary quantity of liquid. Air can pass freely throughthe port 23 when the valve is lowered, to enable the liquid to escapefrom the vessel with greater freedom.

The operation and advantages of our invention will be readily understoodfrom the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings.

The conduit or supply-pipe is first connected by its coupling to thecask, &c., and the upper valves of all the vessels of the series areclosed, after which the cook or valve in the coupling is opened to admitthe liquid from the cask, 850., into the conduit or supply-pipe. \Vhenit is desired to draw a certain quantity of liquid-say a half-gallonthelower end of the operating-lever of the vessel 2 is forced inward,thereby closing the lower valve and simultaneously opening the uppervalve of said vessel. Liquid from the conduit'is thus admitted andretained in the measuring-vessel until a sufficient quantity hasaccumulated therein, which is indicated by the vertical displacement ofthe indicating-spindle, after which the operating-lever is reversed.This reversal of the lever closes the upper valve to cut off the supplyof liquid from the conduit to the measuring-vessel, and at the same timeopens the lower valve of the vessel to permit the liquid therein toescape through the outlet-port 8 into a suitable receptacle placedbeneath the suspended meastiring-vessel.

We are aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts anddetails of construction of the apparatus herein shown and described asan embodiment of our invention can be made without departing from thespirit thereof.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. A measuring apparatus,substantially as described, consisting of a single continuoussupply-eond uit adapted to communicate with a source of supply, a seriesof vertical meastiring-vessels of assorted sizes suspended from saidconduit at intermediate points of the length thereof and eachcommunicating directly with the conduit through a port in its upper end,a valve located within the vessel for opening and closing the inlet-portbetween the conduit and vessel, and another valve in the lower end ofeach vessel, substantially and for the purpose described.

2. In a measuring apparatus, the combination of a vessel havin inlet andoutlet ports at diametrically opposite ends, and a lateral stuffing-boxin the side thereof near the upper end, a reciprocating valve operatingover each of the ports, a lever connected directly to the lower valve,and an endwise-movable rod, 13, connected to the lever and upper valveand having a packing and the fixed stops, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM HUGH FORBES. JAMES GIBSON.

Vitnesses:

JAMEs W. CoNNELL, JOHN .T. CONNELL.

